The HRD ministry has denied asking IIT Delhi for land for a cricket academy.
The Director of Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, RK Shevgaonkar, has submitted his resignation last week citing personal reasons, Chairman of IIT Delhi, Vijay Bhatkar, has told NDTV.
The resignation, submitted more than two years before Mr Shevgaonkar's tenure is to end, comes amid a controversy following reports in a section of media that attributed it to two alleged requests from the ministry: Land in the institute's premises for a cricket academy, which will allegedly be run by former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar; and settling a salary dues case with BJP leader Subramanian Swamy.
The ministry has denied both charges. Mr Tendulkar too, has denied any involvement in the matter. Saying he was appalled by the charges, Mr Tendulkar tweeted, "I have not even planned any academy neither do I want any piece of land for any purpose."On Sunday, in a statement to the media, the ministry said the reports were "factually incorrect". "There was neither any request from Sachin Tendulkar for land, nor any instruction to provide the same," it said.
The ministry also said it has "neither forwarded Mr Swamy's request to IIT-Delhi nor given any direction to make payment of arrears" to him. The views of department of Personnel and Training have been sought on the matter, it said.
Admitting that it has received Mr Shevgaonkar's resignation letter on December 26, the ministry said it would have to go to the President "for his approval".
Mr Swamy has alleged the resignation was not over the alleged demands by HRD Ministry for payment of his dues but involved an IIT campus in Mauritius, reported news agency Press Trust of India.
"The Director was found to have gone to Mauritius in 2011 without telling the Government of India and set up an institute in the name of an affiliate, so an explanation was asked from him," PTI quoted him as saying. In order to hide the fact which would have meant termination of his directorship, "he tried to make political capital of it," Mr Swamy alleged.